James Holst, who has served as the University of
California’s top lawyer for 20 years and said the university
has been his “whole life,” announced last week that he
will step down from his position.
Come June, Holst will leave his role as the university’s
general counsel and vice president for legal affairs.
Gerald Parsky, chairman of the UC Board of Regents, said in a
statement that Holst’s “departure marks the end of an
era in leadership for higher education in California.”
That era was marked by cases dealing with campus development, UC
patent rights and often billions of dollars.
“Right now, even, we are working on litigation to help the
university … recover losses from the Enron (incident),”
Holst said.
In that case, UC spokesman Trey Davis said the UC has already
recovered more than $7 billion.
Other cases have dealt with more campus-specific issues.
He remembers one case in particular in which a woman left her
entire estate to UCLA in a handwritten will ““ or rather, to
“the University of Southern California, also known as
UCLA.”
The problem posed by the wording was clear.
“Our challenge was to prove … she actually meant UCLA,
and we were successful,” Holst said. “(That was) one of
the really fun cases.”
His exit will not spell the end of his time as a lawyer.
Holst said he plans to continue working in the legal profession,
but in a capacity that will give him more ability to travel and
spend time with his family.
Even so, his retirement does not mean he will say goodbye to the
university for good.
Like other UC alumni and community members, he said the UC will
continue to be a part of his life.
Since Holst enrolled at UC Berkeley in 1956, he has experienced
the UC as an undergraduate student, a graduate student and legal
counsel.
“It’s just been very rewarding to be part of an
organization that is as important to the state of California as
(the UC) is,” he said.
He described the experience as “outstanding” and
full of “endless challenges.”
Davis said these years have been formative ones for the UC.
“Holst has been a part of the university’s legal
team for more than 40 years, a time in which UC has established
itself as the pre-eminent public research university system in the
world and one of the largest and most vital medical care providers
in the state,” he said.
Other UC officials have pointed to ways his work at the UC will
influence law in general.
When commenting on Holst’s career, Parsky did not look at
the specific cases Holst tried but at the work the 66-year-old
lawyer has done as a whole.
“In a profession steeped in precedents and landmarks, he
will leave an indelible legacy of dedication and integrity by which
future public servants will be measured,” Parsky said in a
statement.
Holst said his exit from the university comes “after a
full career.”
“I’ve been … general counsel for 20 years,”
he said. “It’s time for someone else to have that
opportunity.”
UC President Robert C. Dynes will begin to look for
Holst’s successor in the coming weeks. The first step will be
the formation of an advisory committee for the process, Davis
said.